Daytime television personality Oprah Winfrey did her part to drive iPad sales for the holiday season, as the top-rated host declared Apple's touchscreen tablet her "No. 1 favorite thing ever."

On her show this week, Winfrey unveiled her list of "ultimate favorite things." Topping the list was the iPad, which she also gave away to the 275 audience members who were there for the taping of her TV show.

"From our very first moment together, I knew it had stolen my heart," Winfrey told her audience, before she "cued the angels" and an iPad was lowered from the ceiling sporting angel's wings. The television host pranced around the device as audience members screamed with excitement.

"Words cannot describe what I feel for this magnificent, magnificent device," she said, holding a 3G model in her hand. "I really think it's the best invention of the century so far."

Winfrey's promotion of the iPad comes just days after a digital version of her publication, O, The Oprah Magazine, became available on the iPad (iTunes link). The $3.99 software is billed as a "taste of the December issue," and includes an animated cover with Winfrey personally unveiling the issue.

Other items on Winfrey's "favorite things" list include a five-year membership to Netflix, a Nikon D3100 Digital SLR Camera, and a Volkswagen 2012 Beetle.

As an immensely popular television host, Winfrey has a great deal of influence over the sale of products. In 2008, her endorsement of Amazon's Kindle e-reader led to a flood of orders. Online retailer Amazon had trouble keeping up with demand for its device for the remainder of the holiday season.

In April, soon after the iPad launched, Winfrey praised the device as "amazing," and highlighted the device as an interactive e-reader. Her "Book Club," which has made numerous books national bestsellers, is also featured in Apple's iBooks application for iOS devices.

That's awesome. Hopefully my mom will be more accepting of it come Christmas time. I ran the idea by her a few months ago trying to get some ideas for what to give her and she dismissed it, but if OPRAH says it's her favorite thing then she might think of it differently

Hmm...so there will be a shortage this holidays season on iPads. It was already going to be difficult to get one. With over 40 million viewers of the Oprah show Apple will have a tough time meeting demand. Hopefully many of them will see the light and get a Macbook Air.

I have no doubt she uses an iPad, but I'd be shocked to see her being driven around in a Beetle. All the same, good on you, Oprah. It's unpaid celebrity promos like hers that help keep Apple tops in mindshare.

Just funny how the vultures swoop in and take this positive spin, turning it into a negative. If you don't like Apple gtfo, seriously. Why are you even here? What point do serve? What point do you make? No really, why are you here on Apple Insider taking digs at every Apple product. You hate istuff, we get it. Go wrap yourself in the Android and Windows blankets and get all warm in their brilliance.

For those others who are here because we celebrate Apple stuff, own Apple products and stock, and generally want to see what Apple is up to, good for us! This is a great story, about a great product, and it's going to be a great Christmas after all.

Just funny how the vultures swoop in and take this positive spin, turning it into a negative. If you don't like Apple gtfo, seriously. Why are you even here? What point do serve? What point do you make? No really, why are you here on Apple Insider taking digs at every Apple product. You hate istuff, we get it. Go wrap yourself in the Android and Windows blankets and get all warm in their brilliance.

For those others who are here because we celebrate Apple stuff, own Apple products and stock, and generally want to see what Apple is up to, good for us! This is a great story, about a great product, and it's going to be a great Christmas after all.

Whom are you talking to? It seems that you speak to some one but you did not specified.

Those people are hysterical....
Or, I get it. They now can make iTunes purchases from iPad and listen to Beatles.

And Oprah definitely does not read much (e.g. books) from this glossy screen...

Do they (hosts of such shows) speak only about popular things or is that Apple who comes to them to make it popular?